Cigarette server



Dec. 31, 1968 w. H. SWARTZ CIGARETTE SERVER Filed Jan. 4. 1968 INVENTOR. WENDELL H SWARTZ ATTORNEY 3,419,178 CIGARETTE SERVER Wendell H. Swartz, 3060 Hoiiday Drive,

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33316 Filed Jan. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 695,675 Claims. (Cl. 22036) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISfiLOSURE This invention relates to carrying cases for cigarettes and the like.

The relatively recent popularity of the crushproof type box for cigarette packaging has obviated, at least in part, the demand and need for auxiliary cigarette cases in order to preserve the shape and quality of the cigarettes prior to the use thereof. However, the necessary rigidity inherent in such type of packaging, in conjunction with the continuing trend to longer length cigarettes, has served to re-accentuate the essentially bulky nature of conventional cigarette packaging and the incompatibility thereof with the drape of garments and the like.

In addition, such packaging is necessarily designed to accommodate the standard twenty cigarettes and the packaging bulk is not diminished as the contents are utilized, thereby requiring those users who desire or require only a lesser number of cigarettes over a predetermined time period to bear the continual inconvenience occasioned by such bulk of package.

This invention may be briefly described as an improved constructure for diminutive cigarette cases that may be conveniently accommodated in garment pockets without effecting unseemly bulges or otherwise detrimentally affecting the drape thereof. To the above ends, the improved case is of a thickness adapted to accommodate a single layer of cigarettes and of a transverse planar extent determined by the number of cigarettes to be included therein. In its more narrow aspects, the subject cigarette case construction includes an open-ended rectangular container member, a displaceable closure flap pivotally mounted on the open end of such container, an internally disposed actuating slide for effecting selective displace ment of the closure flap intermediate a fully open and a fully closed position and an externally accessible operating member for effecting manually actuated displacement of the slide relative to the container body by the user thereof.

Among the advantages of the subject construction is the provision of an inexpensive cigarette case that is dimensioned to be conveniently accommodated in garment pockets without production of unsightly bulges or the like and is of an essentially crushproof and highly water resistant, if not effectively waterproof, character that will serve to protect the physical integrity of the articles contained therein under severe conditions of use. Another marked advantage is a simplicity of construction characterized by a totality of four readily moldable plastic parts which may be assembled in a simple and inexpensive manner. Still another advantage of the subject construction is a ready adaptability for use as an attractive and useful novelty or premium type article having the capability of bearing advertising indicia on the exposed surfaces thereof and which is likely to be retained by Patented Dec. 31, 1968 the recipient for repeated re-use rather than being disposed of after exhaustion of its original contents.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved cigarette case construction.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a diminutive, inexpensive and easily fabricated cigarette case that is particularly adapted for use as a novelty or premium article.

Other advantages of the subject construction will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following specification and from the appended drawings which illustrate, in accordance with the mandate of the patent statutes, a presently preferred construction incorporating the principles of this invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an assembled cigarette case incorporating the principles of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 2 and illustrating the disposition of the component elements with the closure flap in open position.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the unit. illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the pivotal interconnection of the closure flap and the actuating slide member.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there is provided a rectangularly shaped main container section, generally designated 10, integrally constituted by planar front and back walls 12 and 14 respectively, disposed in parallel spaced relation by a pair of side wall members designated 16 and 18 and a bottom wall member 20. As thus constituted, the main container section 10 is generally in the nature of a hollow hexahedron having an upwardly open end portion 22. As illustrated the upper edge 13 of the front wall 12 is disposed below the corresponding upper edges of the rear wall 14 and side wall portions 16 and 18 which, in conjunction with the recessed segment 34 in the rear wall 14 defining a supporting shoulder 32 disposed coplanar with the upper edge 13 of the front wall 12, defines a receiving area for the closure flap member 24-. The closure flap 24 is provided with a pair of coaxially disposed extending integral pin segments 26, suitably of generally hemispherical configuration, at the terminal ends thereof adjacent one of its longitudinal edges which are disposed within complementally shaped pin-receiving sockets 28 integrally molded in the upper corners of the side wall portions 16 and 18 so as to provide a pivotal mounting of the closure flap 24. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the above described dimensioning and mounting of the closure flap 24 permits the pivotal displacement thereof about the upper end of the front wall 12 from a completely closed position as illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein its upper surface is effectively coplanar with the upper edges of the back wall 14 and side walls 16 and 18 and is positively supported along its longitudinal edges to a completely open position as illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein it is disposed essentially coplanar with the front wall 12.

Disposed on the interior surface of the side wall segments 16 and 18 immediately beneath the point of juncture of said side walls with the front wall 12 are elongate recesses or channels 40 which extend from a location adjacent the bottom wall 20 to a location closely adjacent the top edges thereof. Slidably disposed within such elongate recesses are the marginal edges of a rectangular planar actuating slide member 42 which is thereby slidably disposed in adjacent interfacing engagement with the underside of the front wall 12. As best shown in FIGURE 5, the corners of the upper end of the actuating slide member 42 are cut away to provide a pair of rectangular 3 recesses 44. Disposed at the terminal ends of the upper edge of the slide 42 are a pair of extending integral pin segments 46 and 48, suitably of generally hemispherical configuration. The pin segments 46, 48 are adapted to be pivotally received within complementally shaped recesses 56, 58 in a pair of integral extending boss or lug members 52 and 54 disposed on the underside of the closure flap 24.

Manual displacement of the slide 42 is effected by means of an exposed slide operator 64 disposed in sliding overlying engagement with the upper surface of the front plate 12 and which incorporates a base segment disposed within a recess 62 in said front plate and connected therethrough, as at 66, to the actuating slide 42. Desirably, the degree of forward displacement of the slide 42 is positively limited by the dimensions of the recess 62 so as to limit overstressing of the pivotal connection intermediate the slide 42 and closure flap 24.

In operation of the subject device, retraction of the slide operator 64 to the position illustrated in H6. 2 results in retraction of the slide member 42 and in a snaplilre displacement of the closure flap 24 from its open to its closed position wherein its upper surface is effectively coplanar with the upper edges of the back wall 14 and side walls 16 and 18. Manual displacement of the slide operator 64 to its advanced position as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3 results in a longitudinal advancing displacement of the actuating slide 42 relative to the front wall 12 and container it Because of the effective lever arm constituted by the distance between the pivotal mounting of the closure flap 24 on the main container member 16 and the pivotal interconnection of the slide member 42 thereto, such advance of the operator 64 results in a rotative displacement of the closure flap about its pivotal mounting on the container 10 to the upright and fully open position as illustrated in FIG. 3 and wherein said closure flap 24 is essentially disposed in planar coalignrnent with the front plate 12. in a similar manner and as noted above, manual retraction of the slide operator 64 to the retracted position illustrated in FIG. 2 will effect a concurrent pivotal displacement of the closure flap 24 to its closed position by a snaplike action.

In the preferred construction illustrated in the drawings, all of the components are readily formable of, and are preferably formed from, thermoplastic resin. As will be apparent, each of the four component elements, i.e. the main container section 10, the closure flap 24, the actuating slide 42 and the slide operator 64, is such as to be readily moldable of clear or colored resins and the planar chracter of the exposed surfaces of the container 10 provides readily avaliable and readily viewable areas to receive printed advertising indicia or the like by conventional techniques well known to those skilled in this art.

It will now likewise be apparent that all of the pivotal pin and socket type connections between the closure flap 24 and the main container 10 and the closure flap 24 and the actuating slide 42 are of such nature as to be concurrently formed during the molding operation and that subsequent assembly is easily effected by manual manipulation of the respective elements and without the use of specialized tools.

As will now also be apparent to those skilled in this art, the subject construction, which may preferably be sized to hold about eight cigarettes in a single layer, forms a diminutive and convenient case that can be carried in garment pockets without unsightly bulges and which, because of the aforedescribed closure system, additionally provides an effective crushproof and substantially moisture-proof container to preserve the contents under conditions of severe usage.

The device herein illustrated and described constitutes a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and it should be understood that modifications, alterations and variations may be made in the specific structure and relative sizing thereof to accommodate contents of different size and quantity and in the modes of operation shown and described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette case comprising:

an open ended container section of generally rectangular configuration having front and back walls maintained in spaced parallel relation by a pair of integrally interconnected side Wall portions and a bottom wall portion.

said side wall portion shaped to provide elongate recess means adjacent the juncture thereof with said front wall,

a closure flap pivotally connected to said container section adjacent the terminus of said front wall at the open end thereof and displaceable intermediate a first position closing said open end and a second position disposed substantially coplanar with said front wall,

a planar actuating slide marginally supported in said elongate recess means in said side walls and pivotally connected at one terminal end thereof to said closure flap at a location spaced from the pivotal mounting of said closure flap on said container section,

and manually engageable operating slide means disposed on the outer surface of said front wall and connected to said actuating slide through a recess therein for effecting selective displacement of said actuating slide relative to said container s ction and concurrent displacement of said closure h'ap intermediate its limiting positions.

2. The case as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivotal connection of said closure flap with said container section comprises integral extending pin members on one of said elements rotatably disposed in complementally shaped pin receiving sockets integrally included in the other of said members.

3. The case as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivotal connection of said closure flap with said actuating slide comprises integral extending pin members on one of said elements rotatably disposed in complementally shaped pin receiving sockets integrally included in the other of said members.

4. The case as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating slide member includes an extending end portion of reduced transverse dimension terminally engageable with said closure flap.

5. The case as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivotal connection intermediate said closure flap and actuating slide is spaced a predetermined distance from the undersurface of said closure member.

Referen ccs Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,562,580 7/1951 Satz et al. 22036 X THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

